


Touch Therapy

by syriala



Series: Steter Week 2018 [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Feral Behavior, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pack, Pre-Relationship, Snark, Touch-Starved, season 1 rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 01:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syriala/pseuds/syriala
Summary: “You’re hugging Peter,” Derek said from behind them, confusion very obvious in his voice.“Yep,” Stiles gave back, not moving from his current position, speaking more into Peter’s hair than anything.“Why are you hugging him?” Derek asked, and Stiles shrugged as best as he could, with his arms still around Peter.“He just woke up from a coma. I don’t even want to think about how long he went without a hug,” Stiles gave back.Or the one where Stiles derails Peter’s plans by aggressively hugging the shit out of him.





	Touch Therapy

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Терапия прикосновений](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17565869) by [Katrinos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katrinos/pseuds/Katrinos), [WTF_Teen_Wolf_Rare_Pairings_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WTF_Teen_Wolf_Rare_Pairings_2019/pseuds/WTF_Teen_Wolf_Rare_Pairings_2019)



> This is for Steter Week Day 4 and I chose Touch Starved as the theme.

Stiles marched into the hospital, phone pressed to his ear and rubbing his still stinging forehead. Derek was mean, and he really had no reason to treat Stiles like this. His ruse had gotten them the information they needed, and Derek should be grateful for that.

Stiles peered into the room Peter Hale was supposed to be in, only to find a very empty wheelchair.

“Yeah, well, he’s not here either,” Stiles told Derek through the phone.

“What?” Derek asked, and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“He’s not here, he’s gone, Derek,” he said and was met with a few seconds of silence on the other side.

“Stiles, get out of there right now, it’s him, he’s the alpha! Get out!” Derek suddenly yelled at him, and all the pieces fell into place in Stiles’ head.

Of course it was Peter.

He turned around, walking back out of the room, ready to just run away, but Peter was already there, leaning against the wall.

Stiles stared at him while Peter suddenly smiled.

“You must be Stiles,” he said, and what was it with the Hale’s that they were all so soft spoken.

Stiles stumbled a few feet back but when he turned around a nurse was suddenly standing there.

“What are you doing here? Visiting hours are over,” she said and there was something sinister to her voice, a mean edge that even Peter had lacked.

“You,” Stiles said and pointed at her and then turned around to point at Peter. “And him!”

Peter only stared at him and Stiles turned back around to the nurse.

“You’re the one…” he said and trailed off only to turn back around. “Oh my, and he’s the…” alpha, he wanted to say but the words died on his tongue.

“Oh my god, I’m going to die,” Stiles whined, rubbing a hand over his head. “I’m going to die!”

Peter continued to simply stare at him, and Stiles looked back and forth between Peter and the nurse, until suddenly Derek was there.

He knocked her unconscious with one well-placed elbow to the face and stared his uncle down.

“That’s not nice, she is my nurse,” Peter said, almost petulantly.

“She’s a psychotic bitch, helping you kill people,” Derek gave back. “Get out of the way,” he then said to Stiles who stared in shock at him, gears in his head turning.

When Stiles didn’t move Derek growled at him. Stiles turned back to Peter, who was still staring at them with that small smile on his face, as if this was all terribly amusing to him and Stiles made a split-second decision.

It might have been a stupid one, one that could very easily get him eviscerated, but he trusted his gut.

He finally moved, but not out of the way or behind Derek, like he should, he walked right up to Peter.

Peter was watching him carefully, tracking his every movement, but making no move to attack Stiles. Stiles took one last deep breath when he realized that, ignoring Derek’s frantic yelling, and then he just hugged Peter.

He threw his arms around Peter, dragged him close to his own body and then just held Peter there. Peter, to Stiles’ never-ending surprise, hadn’t moved a muscle. He seemed practically frozen in place and Stiles thought that he had been right.

Peter was severely touch starved, hadn’t known a nice, kind touch in years, and Stiles heart hurt even thinking about that.

“You’re hugging Peter,” Derek said from behind them, confusion very obvious in his voice.

“Yep,” Stiles gave back, not moving from his current position, speaking more into Peter’s hair than anything.

“Why are you hugging him?” Derek asked, and Stiles shrugged as best as he could, with his arms still around Peter.

“He just woke up from a coma. I don’t even want to think about how long he went without a hug,” Stiles gave back.

“He’s dangerous,” Derek growled and came into view, obviously ready to tear Stiles away from Peter.

“He might be dangerous because no one hugged him, yet, Derek, you don’t know.”

“You didn’t hug me,” Derek sullenly said, and Stiles sighed against Peter’s neck.

“And look where that got us, you’re all mean and growly and pushing helpless humans into walls and slamming their heads into steering wheels,” Stiles said to him. “Should have hugged you the second I saw you,” he mumbled before he louder said, “I’m trying to do better with your uncle.”

Stiles decided to believe that the vibration he felt under his hands was Peter laughing and not growling, because the latter could mean very bloody things for Stiles.

“I’m right here,” Peter reminded them, as if either of them could have really forgotten that.

“I know,” Stiles snappishly gave back. “But since you’re not hugging me back, my work here is not yet done.”

Stiles was actually startled when arms suddenly encircled him, pulling him close, and so was Derek going by how wide his eyes went.

“See, there you go,” Stiles mumbled, stroking his hands up and down Peter’s back, who was now shuddering under him.

Peter let out a long sigh, and he went almost boneless against Stiles, making him stagger when he suddenly had to take Peter’s weight, but he stabilized himself without letting go of Peter.

“Stiles, let go of him,” Derek demanded. “He killed Laura!”

“Who maybe should have hugged him the second she got here,” Stiles gave back, not admitting that Derek might have a point there.

Peter was dangerous, and he had killed people.

But with how he was harshly breathing into Stiles neck, how he was still shivering under his touch, how desperately he was clinging to him, Stiles couldn’t bring himself to step away from Peter. Sometimes all they needed was a bit of kindness and Stiles knew that if he stepped away now, Derek would no doubt attack his uncle.

“Stiles, get away from him,” Derek growled at him, eyes glowing and claws out.

“No,” Stiles gave back and was startled when Peter grumbled the same into his neck.

“No,” Peter repeated louder, arms tightening around Stiles, who just gave in and melted completely against Peter.

This was clearly working.

~*~*~

Stiles was glad he had kept an eye on Allison and Lydia, because even though Scott told him he totally had this, no need for Stiles to stick around, he only had eyes for Allison and totally missed the conspicuous figure lurking in the back of the shop.

Stiles took one deep breath and then he walked right up to Peter, casually standing next to him.

“What are you planning?” he asked, seeing the watchful gaze on Allison with concern.

“My, Stiles, you truly are everywhere, aren’t you?” Peter asked, without taking his eyes off Allison.

“I’m just trying to keep my friends safe,” Stiles gave back, shuffling closer to Peter. “So please tell me you don’t plan any carnage here, in the middle of the mall.”

“Carnage anywhere else would be okay?” Peter asked, eyebrow raised, and finally turning his head to look at Stiles.

“Depending on the people, it just might be,” Stiles lowly gave back, thinking back to the things he had already discovered about the fire and the people Peter had killed.

“She’s an Argent, too,” Peter hissed, and Stiles could see his eyes glow red.

“She’s innocent,” Stiles urgently gave back, hoping Peter would get his eyes under control and not expose the whole supernatural world in a stupid shopping mall. “She doesn’t even know about the supernatural.”

“Yet,” Peter growled. “You can be sure that Kate will drag her right in.”

“Peter,” Stiles said and turned fully to Peter. “Believe me when I say Allison is not going to be a problem for you. I won’t let her be, so you don’t have to hurt her, okay? And the same goes for Scott,” he tacked on.

Peter’s gaze was intent on him, clearly searching for some sign of lie and Stiles reached out to grab the sleeve of Peter’s coat.

“I wouldn’t lie to you, not about this,” he earnestly said, and he felt just as surprised about this as Peter looked.

He didn’t know why Stiles needed Peter so desperately to believe him, to trust him, but he didn’t want to let him down, at all.

“You truly are full of surprises,” Peter said and made an aborted movement like he wanted to pull Stiles in but decided not to in the last second.

Stiles couldn’t let it slide like this. He dragged Peter closer by his sleeve, folding him right into a hug and just like in the hospital Peter melted against him, only this time as soon as they made contact.

“No hurting Allison or Scott,” Stiles whispered in Peter’s hair, and pressed even closer when Peter’s arm wrapped around his waist.

“Fine,” Peter huffed, and Stiles squeezed him. “Now get back to your friends, that idiot beta of mine is starting to realize you’re missing.”

“You’d think with his senses he would know where I am,” Stiles mumbled, and Peter hummed low under his breath.

“I clearly bit the wrong one,” he said with a shrug at Stiles’ questioning gaze. “You would have made a magnificent wolf.”

Stiles was just about to ask why Peter wasn’t offering him the bite then, when Peter suddenly slinked away into the shadows, just as Scott came towards him.

Stiles could only hope Peter would stay true to his promise.

~*~*~

Stiles was racing onto the lacrosse field, heart in his throat when he saw Lydia on the ground and Peter leaning over her.

“What happened?” he yelled, before he skidded to a stop in front of them, falling to his knees. “Is she hurt?” he asked Peter who looked up at him.

“No,” he said and got to his feet. “She fainted when she saw me wolfed out.”

“She fainted?” Stiles asked, looking back down at Lydia, relieved when he couldn’t see any obvious injuries.

“Yes,” Peter said and rolled his eyes. “Not everyone takes the supernatural as well as you do,” he told Stiles who frowned up at him.

“What are you even doing here?” he asked.

“I’m here,” Peter started and extended one clawed finger, pushing it under Stiles’ chin and forcing him to stand up, “to get your help,” he then finished and nosed at Stiles’ cheek.

“And to molest a teenager, clearly,” Stiles whispered, just couldn’t help himself, but Peter only chuckled.

“You started the hugging, I take no responsibility for that,” Peter gave back and then just reeled Stiles in for another hug.

Stiles sighed, like this was the worst thing that could happen to him, even though he couldn’t help but melt against Peter.

The man gave good hugs.

“What do you need my help with?” he asked, whispering the words into Peter’s neck, and Peter rubbed his cheek over Stiles’ head, clearly scent marking him.

“Finding Derek,” Peter replied and let go of Stiles. “I think the Argents took him and I need you to find him for me.”

“And why would I be able to do what you with your wolfy senses can’t?” Stiles asked.

“You’re the clever one, aren’t you?” Peter gave back, and Stiles preened just a little bit under that praise, but his mind was already whirring.

“What?” Peter asked after a minute of silence, clearly reading the expression on Stiles’ face.

“I think,” Stiles thoughtfully started. “I think Derek might have known he would be taken. When they were shot at, him and Scott, I think Derek took his phone.”

“Why?” Peter wanted to know, and Stiles just barely refrained from rolling his eyes, remembering that Peter had been in a coma for six years.

“They all have GPS now. If it’s still on, you can find him with that.”

“ _You_ can find him with that,” Peter corrected, and Stiles nodded thoughtfully.

“I need a laptop, though, so we have to get back to my place first” he told Peter, who carefully led him off the lacrosse field, hand at the small of his back.

“I am in no real rush,” he reassured him, and Stiles just couldn’t help but lean into the contact.

~*~*~

Stiles was still reeling from his confrontation with Chris Argent when he and Jackson pulled up to the destroyed Hale house, but he was quick to take in the situation. Peter was in his alpha shift, Allison kneeling besides an unconscious Chris and Scott was crouched low, ready for an attack.

This was not what Peter had promised Stiles.

“Peter,” Stiles called out, as he was getting out of the car.

His frantic call put a stop to every immediate action and even Peter was looking at him, lowered to all fours and eyes glowing red.

“Peter, you promised me. You said you wouldn’t hurt Allison, or Scott,” Stiles reminded him, hoping that maybe he could get through to Peter.

But Peter simply growled at him, eyes flaring even brighter and Stiles realized that this wouldn’t work. Peter was too far gone in his rage right now to really process human words. So Stiles carefully walked up to Peter, ignoring Scott’s scared yell and Jacksons warily muttered “Stiles”. His eyes were only fixed on Peter, who was tracking his advance avidly.

“Come on, Peter,” Stiles whispered, low and soothing, and Peter suddenly whined high in his throat, giving Stiles the confidence to just step in and hug his hulking alpha form.

It was kind of awkward, with Peter looming over him like this, but Stiles still slid his hand into the curt hair on his neck, pulling Peter close. Stiles could hear Scott make a distressed noise when Peter’s muzzle came really close to his neck, close enough that Stiles could feel every breath Peter took, but he didn’t hurt him.

Instead Peter shuddered and suddenly shrunk back to human form, naked and obviously weak, and Stiles was ready to just step back when Peter tightened his arms around Stiles.

“You could have gotten hurt,” Peter hoarsely said, and Stiles couldn’t believe that this was his life right now.

“Nah,” he easily gave back, with more confidence than he previously had. “You like me too much to hurt me, even feral you knows that.”

Peter only squeezed him in response, but Stiles was certain that he was right. Otherwise he would be a mauled corpse on the floor right now.

“Now come on,” Stiles eventually said, when Peter made no move to extract himself from Stiles and instead started to nuzzle his neck. “We need some clothes for you and then we’ll get you home.”

Peter tensed at that, but Stiles was quick to shush him.

“My home. I’ll need you to explain the werewolf thing to my father, and then you’ll stay with us,” Stiles decisively said.

“Stiles, you can’t tell your dad,” Scott suddenly said from behind him. “And we need to deal with Peter. I need to become human again and he’s the cure.”

“My dad’s the Sheriff,” Stiles said with emphasis and pulled away from Peter, just far enough to look at Scott. “He needs to know this shit. He already got hurt once. I won’t allow it again.”

“The Sheriff usually knows,” Peter suddenly said, voice still rough. “But no one was here to tell him when he got elected.”

Stiles couldn’t even say he was surprised to hear that. It had seemed really stupid that the local Sheriff didn’t know.

“And I’m sorry to inform you that there is no cure, actually,” Peter said with a toothy grin to Scott. “I don’t know who told you that, but they were lying to you.”

“What? Derek wouldn’t lie,” Scott spluttered out and Stiles rolled his eyes.

Of course Derek would lie if it meant getting Scott’s help.

Just as he was thinking it Derek tried to melt into the shadows, trying to creep back into the house but Stiles had had enough with this. He clearly had messed Derek up when he hadn’t hugged him that very first time and he was ready to right his wrong.

“You!” he called out and pointed at Derek, finally entangling himself from Peter and walking up to Derek.

Derek shrunk under his gaze, looking a little bit like a deer caught in headlights, but Stiles wasn’t deterred by that.

“Get over here,” he demanded, waiting with a few feet distance between them.

“I’m sorry,” Derek said, not moving towards Stiles at all. “I needed his help and he wouldn’t otherwise,” he explained, and Stiles just barely didn’t roll his eyes again.

“I know. Now get the hell over here,” he demanded again, and Derek seemed to steel himself, straightening up and squaring his shoulders before he did.

Something in Stiles ached, seeing how clearly Derek was prepared for another fight, was ready to be hurt again, and Stiles couldn’t even wait until Derek reached him. He crossed the last few steps himself and roughly pulled Derek into a hug.

Derek was stiff against him, and it was really uncomfortable for about half a minute. But Stiles wasn’t a quitter and he wouldn’t let go of Derek until he finally relaxed even the slightest bit.

“I’m sorry I didn’t hug you when we first met, or even in the hospital,” Stiles whispered against Derek’s cheek and he could feel the finest of tremors start under his hands.

It still took Derek almost another minute until he finally just gave in with a sigh and wrapped his arms around Stiles, leaning into the contact. He rubbed his cheek all over Stiles’ hair, just as he rubbed his hands over his back and Stiles couldn’t help the small chuckle at that.

Werewolves and their scent-marking.

Eventually Derek pulled away, trailing his hand over Stiles’ arm as he did so, and Stiles briefly squeezed his hand before Derek took a step back.

“You can’t hug everyone and hope for the best, sweetheart,” Peter suddenly said from behind him, rubbing his hand over Stiles’ back once, clearly covering his nephew’s scent on him.

“You just watch me,” Stiles gave back and turned around. “So far it’s working really well, after all.”

“But some day someone is going to tear your throat out for it,” Peter told him, and Stiles scoffed.

“As if you would let them hurt me,” he said, and Peter stared at him in wonder.

“Oh, I do like you, darling,” Peter purred and briefly rubbed their cheeks together.

“Alright, enough of that now,” Stiles grumbled and pushed Peter’s head away, not bothered in the slightest when his eyes flared red for a brief moment. “Go find some clothes, not everyone wants to see what you’re packing.”

“I should have some clothes that fit,” Derek softly said and nodded towards the burnt-out house.

Right. Derek was still living here. That would have to be rectified as soon as possible.

“You’re coming with us, too,” Stiles said and pointed at Derek. “So no vanishing act.”

Derek nodded once before he led his uncle into the house and Stiles turned around to face Scott, Jackson, Allison and Chris.

Scott seemed still angry, while Jackson, Allison and Chris mostly seemed confused.

“You hugged an out of control Alpha,” Chris said accusingly, though he mostly seemed to have difficulties processing that.

“Yeah, I did.”

“But…,” Chris went on but didn’t seem to find the words.

“What, you want one too?” Stiles asked and opened his arms as if he was ready to just go down there and lay one on Chris too.

Chris actually took a step back, before the loud growl reached them from inside the house and Stiles dropped his arm.

“Oh my god, get your instincts under control,” he called back to Peter, and Stiles suddenly had a moment where he wondered when the shock of all of this would suddenly set in.

This was no way to speak to a murdering lunatic after all.

“No hugging the hunters,” Peter said as he walked back out of the house, finally dressed again, and his voice was stern and didn’t allow any argument.

“He doesn’t seem like he would appreciate it anyway,” Stiles said with a nod towards Chris, who had pulled Allison and Jackson close.

“We’ll be by shortly to discuss terms of a treaty,” Peter let them know and Chris’ face hardened.

“You just killed my sister, there will be no treaty.”

“After she burned his whole family down, and tried to kill at least three more people, one of whom is a very innocent Scott. I think you don’t get to judge,” Stiles immediately shot back and watched Chris clench his jaw.

He knew Chris would eventually come around. The revelation that it had been Kate who killed the Hale’s was too fresh right now, he needed time to process that, but he would either make a treaty, or leave. Stiles would make sure of that.

Chris threw him a look that stated very clearly he knew that as well, before he walked towards the Porsche, gesturing for Jackson and Allison to get in as he held out his hand to demand the keys. It looked like he planned on leaving the corpse of his sister and Allison’s aunt behind.

Might as well, Stiles wouldn’t give them a chance to bury her. He wasn’t sure how she had died yet, but all his research stated that people could be turned by claws too, and he wasn’t going to take that risk. They would burn her and be done with it.

“Stiles,” Scott suddenly said, and Stiles had to admit he had temporarily forgotten about him.

“What?” Stiles asked, already ushering Peter and Derek away from the house.

He was mournfully staring after Jackson and the only car and steeled himself for a track home.

“You can’t mean what you just said,” he said accusingly. “You can’t trust them! And how do you even know about all of this?”

“I pieced it together myself, not that you were big on sharing anything,” Stiles gave back and took the wind right out of Scott’s sails. “I tried telling you, I warned you, but you just didn’t listen.”

“But Peter…”

“Promised me not to hurt you and Allison and he didn’t, did he,” Stiles interrupted Scott who was scowling at him.

“He was about to!” Scott tried again but Stiles was a little bit distracted by the hand that came to rest on the small of his back.

“I momentarily forgot, but I would never consciously break a promise I made to Stiles,” Peter said, and Scott gawked at him.

“And I totally pulled him back, so I don’t know what your problem is,” Stiles added.

“But that’s not going to work all the time!”

“Seeing as it was already like the third time this worked, I’d say you’re wrong there,” Stiles gave back and willingly tilted his head back when Peter leaned in to nuzzle his neck.

Scott was staring at them, something like horror on his face, but Stiles couldn’t care less. Stiles was a perfectly awesome werewolf tamer and Scott would come around eventually.

“Now, if I remember correctly a talk with your father is in need?” Peter asked, pleasant as anything and while Stiles dreaded explaining everything to his dad, he nodded.

“We have a guest room, you can share,” Stiles decisively said to Peter and Derek and turned around, ready to get this part of the night over with.

He ushered Derek and Peter towards his home, already thinking about how to break the supernatural news to his dad when suddenly a hand came to rest on his neck. Stiles glance over and saw Peter staring at him with concern but Stiles was already relaxing under the heavy, warm hand on his neck.

Peter seemed to realize that as well, because he threw a small smile at Stiles and then kept his hand where it was for the rest of the way. Not only werewolves benefited from touch apparently, and Stiles was far from complaining.

When Derek lightly encircled Stiles’ wrist, not holding him, just keeping contact Stiles sighed slightly. If this was what pack was about, he was all for it.


End file.
